November 1st, 2031, 2:30pm

Entrance to Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital

Empire City, Delmarva


Connie checked the time on her watch to see if it was the hospital's visiting hours had already begun and sure enough they had been for a half hour now. She had just arrived at the large brick institution that Pearl was admitted in during her battle with the Darkness. The institution was similar to Falling Star, a decently sized building composed of aged red bricks almost like a school, but the building that stood before Connie was only one building out of several other ones that stretched out over a good 200 acres of land. The building Connie would enter would be the one that held some of the more unusual or questionable patients, including gems like Pearl. This would be an easy job for Connie, as her psychiatrist skills would come in handy with Pearl and anyone else in the institution, including other patients and the staff.

When Soren told the Gems and Connie where Pearl was located they all knew where he was talking about. Collingwood was famous for being the first major facility to house Gems after the Second Gem War. They took in regular humans in as well but they also housed Crystal Gems and gem soldiers left behind from Homeworld, giving them the well-known reputation they had. Connie had been recommended by many people to work there because of her experience with Gems, but Connie turned them down because she was still angry at the Originals and was afraid she'd find one or some of them at Collingwood.

"Are you ever going to go inside or do you plan on just standing there all day?" Peridot buzzed in the earpiece Soren had given to Connie for this task.

Connie put a finger to her ear. "Will you get off my case? I'm going inside so will you just leave me be?"

"Soren gave you that earpiece for a reason. He doesn't know what state Pearl's in so this is a safety precaution in case things go South." Said Peridot.

"And where is he anyway? Since he gave me the earpiece and wanted me to be as safe as possible, why isn't he in charge of running the mission?" Connie asked, struggling to grasp Soren's logic.

"He does want you as safe as possible, that's why he's flying right above the hospital grounds in case he needs to intervene. Plus he wanted me to keep busy and keep my mind of everything that's happened recently..." The tech-savvy gem trailed off.

"I can't see him." Connie said, looking up into the sky for a hovering humanoid.

"You're not going to see him, he's in the stratosphere."

"Lovely." Connie grumbled. "Okay I'm going in. I'll report back to you if something goes wrong."

"Understood." Peridot replied before going silent.

Connie made her way into the structure and went through the elegant pair of French doors to the reception area. A lone desk sat there in the room with a woman clicking away on her desktop computer.

"Hello I'm looking for one of your patients." Connie said to the receptionist.

"Do you have the name of the patient you wish to see?" The receptionist asked, continuing to work on the computer.

"Well the patient only has a first name, so it shouldn't be hard to find her." Connie told her.

"Name?"

"He's name 's Pearl. She's a Crystal Gem."

The woman stopped typing and looked at Connie with an expression that looked like a cross between shock and confusion. "You're looking for a gem?"

"Yes I am. I'm trying to bring back the Original Crystal Gems." Connie explained.

"Say, I think I recognize you. You're Connie Maheswaren, General of the New Crystal Gems." The woman said.

"Yeah that's me." Connie said sheepishly.

"Then if course you can see the patient." The receptionist said cheerfully, getting up from her chair and walking down a hallway. "Follow me."

Connie walked down the hall as the receptionist led her down a few flights of stairs that went deeper into the institution's lower levels.

"Now that I know who you are it doesn't surprise me that you came to see Pearl." The woman said. "There's been some buzz of you bringing the Originals back together."

"So people know that I've been looking for them?" Connie asked, wondering how news of her mission spread.

"Yeah it's all over social media. Most people believe what you're doing is a good thing, but a lot of people think you might start another Gem War on Earth because of the Originals differences with each other."

"Really? Tell me more about that." Connie requested, thinking the idea of her starting a war was ludicrous.

"Well everyone knows that the Originals didn't see eye to eye on everything and that sometimes they did bad things to each other, but no one knows what exactly went down with them. What we do know is that the Originals were all leaders of the New Gem Army, which means that if there was a conflict between any of the Originals, they could summon an army at will and then do battle with each other. That's what some people are afraid of, but it seems crazy. I for one support your quest to bring them home. Which brings us to Pearl."

"Yes it does. See I have been informed by one of my friends that Pearl was here, but she had succumbed to a gem sickness known as The Darkness. How bad is she infected?"

"There's not just one answer to The Darkness or what exactly it is." The receptionist explained. "We have many gems infected with the Darkness, and each one is drastically different, so it's hard to handle it when so many patients react differently to the sickness."

"Give me an example. I am a psychiatrist after all."

The receptionist stopped at a metal door that had a small glass rectangle where staff could observe one of the Gems subjected to the Darkness. In the middle of the cell-like room was a lone Ruby who was sitting on the floor mumbling random words to herself, almost in a sing song-like manner.

"This Ruby has been reported to have hallucinations and night terrors, which is why she talks to herself and sometimes even the walls. Whenever someone tries to communicate with her or enter the room she gets aggressive and attacks. Evidently she really hates Rose Quartz for some reason, but I forgot why."

The Ruby stopped mumbling and turned to face the glass viewpoint on the door and Connie gasped. She recognized the Ruby due to her gem being where her left eye would be, but instead of being a pretty shade of red it was blackened. It looked like the center of her gem had some dark mass that webbed out inside the rest of the Gem like tendrils trying to infect every inch of the Gem. Seeing the condition of the Ruby's gem both fascinated and horrified Connie.

"Eyeball." She whispered.

"Yeah that's what we call her too. Met her before?" Asked the receptionist.

"No, but Steven Universe described her to me once. She hates Rose Quartz so bad because she watched Rose shatter Pink Diamond, which is what started the First Gem War. Eyeball even tried to kill Steven once, but never succeeded. I guess her lust for revenge cause her insanity."

"There's what we've been thinking. Gems infected tend to lose their sanity, so we believe that could be a factor in becoming infected."

The receptionist walked up to another metal door and peered into the viewpoint while Connie did the same. Inside was a Quartz soldier who was frantically trembling and freaking out on a bed she laid on. Her eyes were wide and unblinking, telltale signs of insomnia. Her gem was on her chest and just like the Ruby was blackened by the Darkness.

"This one has nightmares whenever she tries to sleep, so she stays up for as long as she can each night."

"Does she have insomnia as well?" Connie asked her.

"Yes she does, but none of the treatments she's been given have worked."

They continued to a metal door once more but this time something unusual happened. The gem inside the cell was just sitting inside on her bed and trying to summon something from her gem but to no avail. She was an Era 2 Peridot, short in height and little in stature. Her gem was in her forehead much like Steven's Peridot, but her hair hadn't retained her triangular shape. Rather, it drooped to her shoulders and become messy and uncared for. Her gem was darkened like the other patients as well.

"This Peridot has been trying to summon her weapon for weeks now but for some reason is unable to pull out her weapon, or anything for that matter. This shows that the sickness can stop functioning Gem abilities and may also stop the process of reforming." The Receptionist explained.

"Why do you say that?" Connie asked in curiosity.

"There was another Peridot just like this one and she managed to poof herself using a cutting knife she stole from the kitchen. That was a month ago and she hasn't reformed into yet."

"That's unusual." Connie remarked.

"Very unusual." This woman agreed.

As they continued down the hallway Connie began noticing more doors, which meant more cells. Some serious quiet while other were being pounded on and shouted at by the infected gems held captive.

"So where's Pearl?" Connie asked, feeling unnerved and spooked by the infected's terrifying clamor.

"Right here." Answered the woman, opening a door and leading Connie inside.

And there she was. Pearl.

Connie had expected her to be in a state of aggression or fear, but instead Pearl was much stranger than any of the other patients Connie had seen.

Pearl was silent. Quiet and unmoving on the bed that she sat on. Pearl was staring off into space as if the receptionist and Connie weren't even there.

"Pearl is different than most of our patients." The receptionist stated. "She has all the same symptoms as the others you saw, but there's more. She can't speak, or at least chooses not to. She hardly ever acknowledges anyone, hardly moves, and uses her gem to replay old memories. Usually she watched battles from the wars or moments she spent with Rose Quartz or Steven. Sometimes at certain times of the day she replays a battle she and the Originals fought before the Second War. They battled some very bulky gem with tattoos and rainbow hair. It's funny, she never plays the ending. Do you know what happened?"

"Unfortunately I do." Connie sighed. "A new Gem from the Rebellion centuries ago had been found named Bismuth. She was fine at first but then Steven poofed and bubbled her. A while after that Steven unbubbled her and tried to help her but Bismuth attacked again. The gems fought her and poofed her once again but was accidentally shattered from falling off of a cliff. It was a dark day for the Gems, especially Steven. It was the first time he had failed to heal a gem and the first time he had watched a gem die."

"Oh." Was all the woman said in response.

"You understand that I have to bring Pearl home, right?" Connie said.

"I do and I won't stop you. I'll have to do some paperwork for you and you should be on your way."

"Good. Thank you for making this possible. Now all I have to do is bring Steven home and I'll finally have my family back."

"I hope everything works out for you. I'll leave you two alone while I do that paperwork for you." Said the receptionist, walking away and leaving Connie alone with an infected Pearl.

"Hey Pearl." Connie said, sitting down next to Pearl on the bed. "It's me, Connie Maheswaren."

The sick gem said nothing and continued to stare into nothingness.

"I've been looking for everyone and taking them home to Beach City.' Connie continued in a soft and friendly voice. "You are the last Crystal Gem. The others are already home. Jasper, Lapis, Peridot, and Amethyst. Ruby and Sapphire are home too and they refused into Garnet. Now all we need to do is bring you home. Then we can go get Steven too."

Pearl's face twitched when Connie said Steven's name. Connie took notice of her reaction and got an idea.

"You want to see Steven?" She asked.

Another twitch, this time full-bodied.

"We can find him and take him home if you come with me. Would you like that? Would you like to see Steven and the Gems?"

This time Connie got a clear response. Pearl looked dead at her and slowly nodded.

"Wonderful! Now come with me let's go home!" Cheered Connie.

When she got up Connie realized that Pearl didn't get up to follow her and alternatively remained on the bed.

"Pearl, will you walk with me if I hold your hand?" She proposed, holding her hand out.

At first Pearl hesitated and gazed at Connie's hand with uncertainty as if debating on whether it was a good idea to accept her hand or not. Finally she decided it was safe and stood up before taking Connie's hand.

"Okay then, let's go!" Connie said happily, walking down the hall and leading Pearl up the stairs.

"Have you succeeded in finding Pearl or will Soren have to come down and kick some butt?" Peridot buzzed in Connie's ear.

"No that won't be necessary. I've got Pearl and we're on our way out. Tell Soren that he can go home now."

"Are you sure you'll be okay without Soren's protection?" Peridot questioned. "We don't know exactly how the Darkness is affecting her."

"Trust me, I think we'll be fine. Just tell the others that I'll be home in an hour." Said Connie.

"Understood. Peridot out."

As Connie removed her finger from her earpiece and said to Pearl, "Everything's going to be alright. I promise you Pearl, we'll cure you and bring back Steven. Then it'll be like before the war, just one big happy family."

Although Connie was looking at Pearl when she said this words, she was secretly reassuring herself that everything would work out.

If only she knew of the storm that was about to hit.


After an hour long drive from Empire City Connie and Pearl finally arrived back in Beach City. While Connie drove she kept secretly observing the ill gem for any signs of symptoms mentioned by the receptionist at Collingwood. Pearl remained silent and continued to stare out into oblivion, but when they came into the city she actually looked at some of the buildings and shops that were in the city, almost as if memories of the time she spent here were starting to return to her. She didn't act like she was hallucinating or having any panic attacks and she wasn't being aggressive, so Connie thought that being back home is just what Pearl needed.

When the car finally stopped at the house and Connie got out she went over to the passenger door and opened it before helping Pearl to her feet and closing the door behind her.

"Come on Pearl. Let's go see the Gems." Connie said, hooking her arm in Pearl's arm and walking up the stairs.

After reaching the top of the stairs Peridot burst out of the door and closed it behind her before slumping against it in exhaustion. She was rapidly breathing as if she had strained herself trying to do something. Then she looked over and saw Connie and Pearl standing there.

"You don't want to go in there." She wheezed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Why, what's wrong?" Asked Connie, afraid something bad had happened.

"That night that we all discussed our issues and forgave each other? Apparently it was all for show, because they're all arguing with each other." Peridot explained

"What!" Connie shouted in rage. "Oh they're in trouble now! Pearl you stay out here with Peridot, I'll be right back."

Connie left Pearl and Peridot outside while she barged into the house only to discover that Peridot's claims were true.

The gems all stood in the living room and were yelling and screaming insults at one another, bringing up issues they had in the past and ones that had come up recently while they had been returned home. Things had gotten so bad that Ruby and Sapphire unfused once more and they seemed to be the ones who started the fight. They were seething with rage and judging from their tones and body language things were about to get physical very soon if Connie didn't intervene.

"How could you fuse with someone else while we were split up!?" Sapphire asked Ruby angrily.

"Oh you're one to talk, you did the same thing to me!" Ruby accused. "I did it because Jasper needed someone to fuse with to see what fusion is really all about. She was redeemed! It's not like I fused with some stranger, I had a reason behind my actions. I bet you only fused with Lapis so you could get even with me. Tell me I'm wrong!"

"You think I'd stoop so low as to have revenge fusion with someone? Oh please by all means act like the hothead you are, but don't accuse me of something so vile and selfish as that. And why do you care Jasper so much, would you rather become a permafusion with her? Now look who's talking!" Sapphire shot back.

"Jasper became one of us, that's why. None of you trusted her after Steven taught her our ways of compassion and family, so I felt bad and wanted to be her first friend so the rest of you would give her a chance." Ruby explained.

"It's true." Jasper commented. "I felt some levels of hostility coming from all of you expect Garnet, who gave me a bunch of mixed signals. Then when Garnet came undone it turned out that Sapphire was the one who didn't trust me and Ruby was the one trying to accept me as one of your own, a Crystal Gem. I never meant for the two of you to fight, I just wanted to become part of your family. I'm so sorry that I brought all these grievances upon you all. That was never my intention."

"What were your intentions when you fused with my Ruby?" Sapphire asked in a not so polite manner.

Jasper gritted her teeth but remained calm and said, "That just happened one night. When we became Carnelian Quartz, it took me back to when Lapis and I were trapped underwater as Malachite. I missed being fused with someone, so after we all split I found Ruby and we fused again and neither of us wanted to be apart after that."

"Okay so let me ask the rest of you." Sapphire said, turning to Lapis and Amethyst. "The two of you were just okay with all of this?"

Lapis just shrugged, looking like she wanted to say something but remaining silent.

"I'll admit, I didn't treat Jasper with the respect she deserved and I honestly do regret that." Amethyst confessed. "Her being around us all the time was a constant reminder of what I was supposed to be and that I will always be defective, and I resented her for that. So when I saw Ruby becoming friends with her it angered me at first but then I realized how sweet it was for Ruby to do that for Jasper and supported their friendship without saying anything. Then Carnelian Quartz was born and I was happy for both of them. Ruby could be whole again and Jasper could see what it was like to be in a stable relationship unlike Malachite. It worked out for both of them, so I didn't see a problem."

"Thank you Amethyst." Said Jasper. "That meant a lot to me. And I'm sorry that I ever made you feel flawed and weak. When we were enemies I used it to mask my jealousy for your family's loyalty and companionship, but now I have no reason to say those horrible things about you. I'm sorry."

"S'okay, we cool Jasper." Amethyst said casually. "Like Steven said, us Quartz Gems stick together."

Jasper smiled. "That's what makes us the best."

"So what, all you guys are against me in this?" Sapphire said in defeat.

"It's not like-" Ruby started.

"IT'S JUST LIKE THAT!" Sapphire screamed, snow starting to fall from the ceiling.

"Well if your going to be like that you can get the Hell out!" Shouted Jasper.

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down Jasper." Ruby said, now in Sapphire's defense. "I appreciate your intentions Jasper, but no one talks to my Sapphy like that."

"Are you serious!? You're defending her after everything she just said to you and how she betrayed you? What about me?" Jasper said in disbelief.

"It's okay I get it, but when you've been in love with someone for as long as I have you'll protect your loved ones even if you disagree with them."

"Are you kidding-"

"ENOUGH!" Connie shouted at the top of her lungs, immediately drawing the attention of all the Gems in the house.

"What is wrong with you? I thought we moved past all this that night when we were at the table working our all of our problems." Said Connie in both confusion and sadness.

"We just did that so we could spare your feelings." Said Amethyst.

"Yeah, we know that you've been trying real hard to bring us all back. We didn't want to make things anymore stressful than they already are." Jasper added.

Connie was in a state of anger and disappointment, trembling with rage and hands tightly balled into fists. She looked like she was about to blow.

Then she stopped trembling and unballed her hands. She took a deep breath to clear her thoughts, then called out to Peridot and Pearl.

"Can you hear me from out there Peri?"

"Affirmative Connie." Peridot replied.

"Good, because this is something I want all of you to hear."

The gems tried to mentally and spiritually prepare for the explosion that was about to come from the woman.

But what she said hurt more than anything imaginable.

"I didn't bring you all back because i missed you all. I did all this for Steven. You guys lost nearly all my love for you guys, and I would've been satisfied if I never saw any of you ever again. What you gems don't know, is that on the night Steven left a decade ago, he made me promise to take care of you all while he was away. I broke that promise when you all left me here alone. That destroyed me, the fact that I wasn't able to keep a promise for someone I care about. That guilt has been haunting me for years now, it made me disconnect with reality and made me becoming a recluse. I failed him, but when I saw the message he sent I saw it as a way to redeem myself before he found out that I broke my promise. I did this for him and for myself, not for any of you. And something else happened that night that made me feel even worse about him leaving and me breaking my promise. He confessed his love for me and we shared our first kiss. That made me feel so guilty you could not even begin to fathom. But no, you all just left and went your separate ways without the knowledge of what I just shared with you. Know do you understand why I'm doing this?" Connie started crying at this point. "I don't care about how you feel towards one another or how much Steven loves you all. I just want the love of my life back. Is that so much to ask for? Do I deserve to never see him again and live the rest of my days with the knowledge that I lost the only person I've ever loved forever? If that's the case just kill me now. I have nothing to live for anymore so just end me. Here, just to make sure I stay dead this time."

Connie reached around her neck and unclasped the necklace before throwing it at the Gems to show that she was really ready to die. She didn't want to accidentally come back to a world where she'd be alone forever. Then she curled up into a ball on the floor and continued crying to herself while everyone just started at her.

None of the Gems knew what to say or whatever to do. Every one of them had tears in their eyes and we're feeling ashamed for fighting over issues that seemed petty compared to Connie's.

This was when Peridot walked through the door with Pearl on her arm and everyone was in shock at the new guest. Ignoring the gems' faces Peridot led Pearl to the couch and sat her down before taking a seat as well. Although Pearl never broke her gaze from nothingness, she too had been crying as well as Peridot.

Finally after a few minutes of consuming guilt and silence, Connie rose to her feet since no one took her life.

"Okay. Since you believe I do have a reason to live, listen to this."

Connie reached into her pocket and pulled out the envelope labeled Mom. She opened the envelope and read the letter aloud.

Dear Rose Quartz,

This is your son whose words you're reading. If you are reading this, then my plan has worked, or part of it anyway. I hope it worked, because I'm sacrificing a lot to make sure you and I can both exist. I'm not just doing this because I want to meet you, cause believe me I do. I'm doing this for the Gems as well. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl all desperately miss you, and I want you to meet some more gems who have joined the team. There's Peridot, Jasper and Lapis Lazuli, and believe it or not, another one hundred thousand some other gems that I healed them from their Corruption. Yep, a lot has happened since you, um...passed.

But here's a summary. I healed all the Gems in the Burning Room, fought in a four year long war against Homeworld, and became a musician like Dad did, but actually successful.

Speaking of Dad...well, people believed he died in the war, but that's not exactly true. I know where he is and what happened to him so don't worry, you'll see him again real soon.

As for the Gems, there has been a lot of issues between them when you died, and they fight sometimes. Sometimes about you, and sometimes about what they've done to each other. It's my fault because I was never the leader you were, never as powerful or adored like you were, so if you are alive you should go talk to them. It would really help.

Unfortunately you won't see me when you reform because after the war I left the Crystal Gems because I was tired of trying to be like you when...I'm not you. I was weak and useless to them and even though they never told me, I always knew they wanted you bad and wanted me gone forever. Now you can all be a big happy family again. I'm sorry I ruined everything.

But look on the bright side. Everyone's going to be so happy when they see you again. It'll be the only good thing I've ever done for anybody.

By the time you read this, it'll be 2031. The war will be over. I will have left and you will be alive. See, I wrote this in 2017, before the war started. The War would end most likely in 2021 and that would be the year I left the Crystal Gems. I was only 15 when I wrote this because I knew all this would happen. I spoke to a Sapphire I healed and she didn't tell me details, just years when important things would happen. Guess she was right.

And yes even though I'm very young to have all this stress in my life, I still have it because I'm not like you. I'm an abomination, but you are perfect. Everyone will love you, even the former Homeworld Gems Peridot, Jasper and Lapis, and the countless gems from the Rebellion I healed. You'll have a following once more and people loving and adoring you for the rest of Eternity.

And life will be better for everyone having you around instead of me.

I'm sorry you'll never meet me. It's for the best.

I love you Mom. Never forget that.

-Steven Quartz Universe


I hope this chapter made up for the last one. I put a lot more effort into this one because of how rushed and short the last one was. Hope I did better this time around.

3 more chapters left in this story. Just a heads up. The ending will be pretty decent i hope.

Anyways like usual be sure to favorite, follow and review this story, it shows me that I should continue writing stories on this site after I learn how to improve my writing Thomas's even better stories. PM me if you guys have any questions, comments or anything like that but since we're so close to the end, I will not reveal any spoilers or anything of that kind. I know how I'm ending the story, so you'll just have to wait and see how I do it.

I'm out guys, see you in the next one and have a great time reading the next few chapters. Happy Reading!